


i burned my hands trying to settle the score

by transfinn



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-08 04:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14097522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transfinn/pseuds/transfinn
Summary: Breathing inreallyhurts. Caleb needs to get the knives out and needs to get back to his friends, and he can't get himself to them without healing or getting himself stable.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [internetfeet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/internetfeet/gifts).



> title from [twin machines](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SUB4bmK_Nw)

Caleb collapses against a tree, breathing hard.

There's two knives lodged in his stomach, and he can feel blood oozing out around the blades.

He looks to the left, looks to the right, nobody. None of his friends are around.

Breathing in _really_ hurts. Caleb needs to get the knives out and needs to get back to his friends, and he can't get himself to them without healing or getting himself stable.

Getting himself stable.

He can get himself stable, he realizes. But... it's going to hurt.

He pulls a small knife from deeps within his coat and, with only a little remorse for how long the article of clothing has been with him, cuts part of his shirt off and peels it away from his wounds.

Caleb gently wraps one hand around the hilt of one of the daggers. He lets the other hand blacken, heat up, create fire.

It takes two motions.

The first motion yanks the dagger out of his body, and the second brings the fire winding its way around his fingers to the bleeding wound.

Caleb _screams_ , loud and high-pitched. The pain from both motions is intense, and he nearly blacks out.

He snuffs out the fire quickly, looks down and sees the cauterized wound.

Gods above, how he wishes Jester was here.

He repeats the motions withe the second dagger, biting the inside of his mouth so hard that he bleeds. At least he doesn't scream.

Screaming probably gave away his position anyways. He's not sure why he bothered with the second dagger anyways, especially when his vision tunnels from pain.

The daggers get tossed to the side, and Caleb somehow manages to stand. He pulls his coat around himself and tries not to cry.

He fails as he stumbles away from approaching footsteps, tears tracking down his cheeks.

The hiding place he picks almost isn't evident to him, which makes it an excellent place. He slips into the depression in the earth covered by bushes and roots.

Caleb curls up, one arm gently caressing his wounds, and he lets himself pass out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks 2 internetfeet in the widomauk discord for the idea/prompt
> 
> i can make a part two if people want??


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2? Part 2.

Yasha's the one who finds Caleb.

It was more of a body-finding mission. Everyone had already steeled themselves to the fact that when they found Caleb, he'd be dead. The scream and then silence they'd heard earlier was enough to go by. 

"Here." Yasha says, and Molly whips around to see her pulling aside some bushes and revealing the small, curled up figure of their wizard friend. 

Caleb looks so fragile as Molly drags him out of the hiding place. His breaths are shallow, uneven, and...

Breaths. 

He's breathing. 

"Yash." Molly says. "He's alive."

Relief flickers across Yasha's face. "Jester."

"Carry him."

Yasha picks up Caleb like he's some delicate, fragile thing (which he really is) and follows Molly back to their cart. 

Nott sits in the cart, huddled into one of the corners. Her ears lift up as she sees Caleb cradled in Yasha's arms. "Is he..." she seems almost too afraid to ask. 

"He's alive." Molly answers her. 

The rush of relief from Nott is almost palpable.

Yasha gently sets Caleb down onto the cart. Molly steps up and presses his fingers to Caleb's neck. 

Caleb's pulse is weak, but it's consistent and _there_ and that's all any of them could ask for.

"He's still alive." Molly says.

Yasha peels back Caleb's coat, and both Molly and Nott gasp. The burned wounds in his stomach probably look way worse than they actually are. Molly's cauterized enough deep cuts to know this. 

Glowing hands get set over Caleb's wounds, and Nott watches as Yasha gently heals Caleb. It's not much, but it's enough for him to gasp and open his eyes. 

"Caleb!!!!" Nott practically throws herself onto Caleb, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"Hallo." Caleb murmurs, blinking hard. "Was...?

"Shh." Molly's hands hover over Caleb's wounds once Yasha pulls away. "These look bad."

"Could be worse." Caleb mumbles, weakly resting a hand on Nott's arm. "I don't feel good."

"You could have died." Nott's voice is higher-pitched than normal. 

Something comes running out of the forest at high speeds. "Guys!!" Jester's voice is a welcome sound. "We couldn't find him so maybe we need to look in another- CALEB!!!!" She skids to a halt beside the cart. "Oh jeez, Caleb, are you okay?"

Caleb, to his credit, doesn't roll his eyes. "I mean, I'm in a lot of pain, but ja, sure, I'm _fine_."

"That doesn't look like fine!" Jester points to the wounds in Caleb's stomach before putting her hands on them. She practically glows with magic, and when she steps back, the skin is red and mostly closed. 

Caleb sighs, and some of the tension holding him together seems to drain away. "Danke."

"Stop getting stabbed! It's not useful!!"

"Do you think I mean to be stabbed?"

"Well you could _certainly_ defend yourself better!"

"I am a wizard, I am squishy."

"Squishies need more defenses!!"

Yasha looks over at Molly with a raised eyebrow. 

Molly sighs. "They'll figure it out."

"I'm just glad he's okay." Yasha murmurs. 

"Me too."


End file.
